Changes
by my-middle-name-is-awkward
Summary: The war ended about a month ago. Everything was okay now, Ginny and Harry were back together, Ron and Hermione were finally together, and Voldemort and his followers were out of the picture. But what happens when something changes?
1. Chapter 1

Changes

***Takes place after the war. Ginny and Harry are back together and Ron and Hermione are together. It has been about a month or so since the Battle of Hogwarts. I own nothing***

Harry Potter awoke to soft lips being pressed against his. He immediately knew whose lips they were and kissed back. The lips then left his mouth and Harry smiled up at the owner of said lips.

"That's always a nice way to wake up" Harry smirked and Ginny Weasley giggled.

Yes, Harry and Ginny are in fact together once again. They have been back together since the day after the battle. They figured that they didn't want to waste anymore of their life. They were going to live their lives to the fullest.

Harry's best friends, Ron and Hermione, also figured that they should not waste another moment of their life. They got together two days after the war. It would've been sooner, but Hermione continued to avoid Ron, afraid of when they had to discuss when she had kissed him during the war.

But everything was great now. Harry was living at the Burrow, but he often visited Grimmauld Place. It stung a little being in there. The memories of Sirius and Dobby all mixed into one place. Then you add in that he, Ron, and Hermione stayed there while hiding from Voldemort during the hunt for his Horcruxes, it wasn't the best place to be all of the time. But sometimes, he just felt like he needed to go there.

"Come on, let's go get breakfast before Ron eats it all" Harry laughed and followed her out of the room.

They walked down the many flights of stairs in the Burrow and finally arrived at the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley greeted them as they sat down and started to serve themselves.

"So, what are you two planning on doing today?"

"I was planning on going to Grimmauld Place." Harry replies "I was going to bring Ginny with me, if she wanted to go" Ginny beams. She hasn't been invited to go back to Grimmauld Place ever. Usually it was just Ron, Harry, and Hermione. She did discuss this with Harry but he simply said that he would take her when he felt at home there again.

"I would love to, Harry" He smiles at her and then they start eating their breakfast. "Are you guys coming?" She asked Hermione and Ron

"Yeah, we are, we decided to have a cleaning day down there. It has gotten pretty dirty down there" Hermione responded.

"As long as it's not like when we had to clean it when we stayed there. That was awful" Ginny shuddered

"That was awful." Ron agreed.

They finish their food and then they all get ready. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all stand in the living room an hour later, deciding if they should Floo to Grimmauld Place or apparate, when Harry walks in.

"Do you guys mind if we make a stop before we go to Grimmauld Place?" They raised an eyebrow and he looked down.

"To where, Harry?" Ron asked

"Grab hold of me, we'll just apparate there"

"Harry, where are we going?" Ginny asked

"You'll see"

They grabbed onto him and they turned on the spot, and then disappeared with a _crack_.

They landed in a dark alley so no one would notice them appearing out of nowhere. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked around, trying to figure out where they were. Harry just adjusted his glasses and started to walk out of the alley.

They followed, having no clue where they were or where they were going. Then Hermione noticed a street sign. She nudged the other two and pointed to it. They looked at it in shock, but continued to walk.

The sign had read: _Privet Drive_

Harry looked serious as he walked down the sidewalk. The other three were trailing behind him, but Ginny jogged over to him to catch up and grabbed his hand. "Harry, why are we here?"

"I need to make things right"

"Harry, this isn't the smartest idea!" Hermione said from behind him

He stopped and turned around "Hermione, when have any of my ideas ever been smart? Most of them almost got me killed" Hermione didn't have time to respond, Harry was already walking again.

And then the house came into view. The one Harry hadn't seen in months. Harry took a deep breath and Ginny squeezed his hand as they made their way up the driveway.

He rang the doorbell and held his breath as he waited for the door to open. As he did, he looked around the yard that he used to have to make pretty. He sighed as looked at his feet. This was where he dragged Dudley into the house after the Dementor attack and he had puked.

Harry was yanked out of his thoughts as the door opened.


	2. Chapter 2

Changes

***Takes place after the war. Ginny and Harry are back together and Ron and Hermione are together. It has been about a month or so since the Battle of Hogwarts. I own nothing***

Harry was yanked out of his thoughts as the door opened. The three stood behind him slightly, looking at the chubby man before them. They exchanged looks as Harry and the man simply looked at each other. They all expected to see the hate in the man's eyes…but instead they saw shock.

"Hello, Dudley" Ginny squeezed Harry's hand again and they all waited for a response.

Dudley Dursley simply nodded. "Potter"

"Do you mind if we come in?" Dudley said nothing, he just moved off to the side and ushered them in. "Thanks, Big D" Harry smiled and then he saw the smile tugging at his cousin's lips. "Are your parents here?"

"Yeah, my dad's watching TV and my mom is in the kitchen" Harry nodded and then started to walk toward the kitchen, but then stopped.

"Do you mind if I look in my old room? I might've left something in there, but I'm not sure"

"Yeah, go ahead. Surprisingly Dad dint burn all of the stuff you left behind" It was Harry's turn to be shocked

"He didn't?"

"No, he doesn't even acknowledge that you lived here" Harry nodded and then walked over to the stairs

"I should've known" Dudley chuckled and he watched the four of them walk up the stairs.

Once on the landing, Harry leads them to his old rooms and places his hand on the knob. He turns it and pushes the door open. He's shocked to see that it's exactly the way he left it. "Uncle Vernon really hasn't acknowledged me living here"

Ginny was the second to walk in. She looked around and then looked at Harry. "You lived in here?"

"Well after I found out I was a wizard" He was now looking at the pile of things that he had said he didn't need last year. It was all in the same place, as if he had only left it like that this morning.

"The only time I saw this room was when me, George, and Fred came to get you in that flying car" Ron laughs.

"That was an…interesting day" Harry chuckles.

Suddenly there was a knock on the open door. Harry's eyes widened as he saw his horse-like aunt standing in the doorway. "Hello Harry, Dudley told me you came to visit"

"Hello Aunt Petunia, how are you?"

"Fine thank you, and yourself?"

"Fine." He looked toward the other three "These are my friends, Ron and Hermione and my girlfriend Ginny"

"Nice to meet you" Ginny forces a smile

"Likewise" Petunia smiled then focused her attention to Harry "So, may I ask why you're here?"

"I decided to see how you were. I also thought we should make things right between us." Harry sighed "You guys are my only living blood relatives"

"Okay, we'll go down to the kitchen and talk with Vernon and Dudley" Harry nodded and then followed his aunt down the stairs. Hermione and Ron shared a worried glance with Ginny, not knowing how this would go.

As they walked toward the kitchen, Petunia leading them, Harry nonchalantly lays a hand on his old cupboard, silently telling his friends that this was where he used to live. Ginny and Hermione bit back a gasp and Ron scoffed.

"Vernon, come into the kitchen, please!" Petunia said as they entered the kitchen. She gestured for them to all take a seat and they did so. Dudley was leaning against the kitchen counter drinking a glass of water when Vernon hobbled into the kitchen.

"What is it, dear?"

"We have visitors" Vernon's eyes flickered to the kitchen table and then they grew larger.

"What the hell are you doing back, Potter?" Vernon spat.

"To settle things" Harry stated

"Well, we don't want things settled! So you can just leave now!"

Harry stared at him for a moment then someone finally spoke. "You really are awful aren't you?"

Vernon's attention was turned to Ginny as she stared at him with utter hatred. "Excuse me?"

"I've heard stories about you, but never thought you were _this_ horrible" Ginny said bravely

"Who are you?"

"Harry's girlfriend"

Vernon snorted "Don't make me laugh!"

Ginny glared "I'm glad this amuses you, Dursley. But I don't appreciate the way you treated Harry." She placed her hand on her pocket. He saw the wand sticking out and he went pale. "And I hope you realize I could curse you at any moment"

"Gin…" Harry warned

"But I won't" Ginny finishes "Because no matter how much I hate you, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here for Harry" She glared "I suggest you listen to what Harry has to say or I just might curse you"

Vernon's eyes went wide and he quickly nodded "Fine, I'll listen to him!"

All eyes were now on Harry and he sighed "I simply want to know why you treated me the way you did" Vernon laughed

"Isn't it obvious, boy? You're strange, we're normal. Which is the way to be!"

"You used to say that about every day. But I don't believe it" Harry's emerald green eyes were now fixated on his aunt, as if telling her silently to tell him the truth.

"Harry, he's not lying. That's the reason why he was so cruel to you"

"Do you have another reason" She nodded slowly

"I was jealous of your mother"

"What did my mum do to you?" Harry hissed

"Nothing" Petunia sighed "I was just dreadfully jealous of her. She was the perfect child. She was a witch, she had the looks, the brains, the personality, and the friends! Then she went to that school and met that Potter and even he was perfect! Then they got married and had you. I realized as I opened the door the morning after Dumbledore put you on our porch that you were exactly like her. Perfect" Harry tried not to laugh. He was far from perfect.

"That didn't give you a right to make me live in a cupboard under the stairs for 10 years"

"I know. I really do regret it, Harry" Harry locked eyes with his aunt and the stood up.

"We should get going" The others stood up and they walked toward the doorway of the kitchen

"Harry, wait!" Harry turned around and saw his aunt walked over to him

"Yes?"

"I was cleaning the cupboard the other day and I found something" Harry raised an eyebrow and she moved passed them and then opened the cupboard door. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron looked in the small area and realized how small it was.

Aunt Petunia grabbed something off of the small shelf in the closet. She smiled at Harry and then handed them to him. Harry looked down at him and he bit back a gasp.

"They were attached to your blanket when I found you." Petunia sighed "I knew you would have something to play with if I put them in there with you and I have a feeling you did"

"I did" Harry admitted "I had nothing else to do half the time" She looked at him apologetically and then nodded.

"I'm sorry, Harry"

"Well, thank you, Aunt Petunia," Harry smiled "We really should be going though"

They walked toward the door and he placed his hand on the doorknob. "Keep in touch" Harry spun around and saw his aunt smiling at him.

"Okay" Harry responded and opened the door and the 4 of them walked out of house.

No one said anything as they made their way back to the alley. But finally, Ron spoke.

"What did she hand you, Harry?"


	3. Chapter 3

Changes

***Takes place after the war. Ginny and Harry are back together and Ron and Hermione are together. It has been about a month or so since the Battle of Hogwarts. I own nothing***

"What did she hand you, Harry?"

Harry ignored the question as they walked back into the alley. "So, we're going to Grimmauld Place?"

They all nodded, and before they knew it, he had spun on the spot and disappeared with a _crack_

"I want to know what she handed him" Ron said

"Well, then we go to Grimmauld Place"

And with that, they all left with a loud _crack _and then materialized outside of Grimmauld Place. Harry was nowhere in sight and so they just started walking toward Grimmauld Place. It was a short distance away from where they apparated in, but it felt like a long time until they reached the front door.

They walked through the house until they made it to the kitchen. Harry was sitting at the table looking at something on the table. "Harry?" Ginny asked and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Harry stayed silent as he stared at the table. Ginny looked down and then sat beside Harry. "What are those?"

"Figurines"

"Of what?"

"A stag, a doe, a dog, and a wolf" Hermione and Ron's eyes grew large and they walked over to the table.

"Harry-"

"I know, Hermione."

"And you said you used to play with these when you were little?" Ron asked

Harry nodded "There was another one but I never played with it"

"Why?"

"Because it was a rat figurine, I never liked rats" Harry growled

Ginny's eyes were now the size of quarters as she realized what they were talking about. "Harry? May I see one for a second?" Harry nodded and she picked up the doe. She held it in her hand for a moment and then began inspecting it. It looks like a usual metal figurine, until you looked at the belly of the doe. It read:

_L.M.E.P_

Ginny looks up at her friends with wide eyes. She grabs the stag and she looks at the stomach to see if it was written on as well. Ginny gasped. There was something carved in the metal. It read:

_J.H.P._

Ginny grabbed the dog and the wolf and flipped them over. The dog read: _S.O. B. _ and the wolf read _R.J.L_

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know your father's middle name?"

"I think it was Harold"

"Did you know your mother's?"

"I think Sirius said it was Marie"

"What was her maiden name?"

"Evans?"

"What was Sirius' middle name?"

Harry thought about this for a while "I don't think he ever told me. But i think it was his father's name"

"What was his father's name?"

"Orion, I believe"

"And what was Remus' middle name?"

"It starts with a J. It was on his briefcase during 3rd year"

"I think it was John. I think that's what his dad's name was" Hermione added

"Look at the bottom of these"

She pushes them toward the other three and they all inspect the statues. "Harry, are you okay?"

Harry let a tear slip down his face "I used to play with these every day, thinking they were just something the Dursleys didn't know were in the cupboard. But all along they were mine. And they were something that my parents, Remus, and Sirius made."

"Harry, you were 11 when you left that cupboard. You didn't know what had really happened to your parents and you didn't know that Remus and Sirius existed. And you clearly didn't know that was written on these, because you would have come back to them, right?"

"I guess you're right Hermione" Harry sighed "But knowing that they once made these makes me feel so sad"

Ginny walked over to Harry and places her hand on his shoulder. "Harry, I'm so sorry"

Harry felt more tears slip down his face. He quickly wipes them away then stands up."I think I'm going to stay here tonight. You guys can go back if you want" He didn't even wait for a response; he simply walked out of the room.

"I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm going to stay here too" Ginny says to her best friend and her brother

"I think I am too" Hermione smiles sadly

"I guess I will too" Ron sighs "I'm going to write a note to Mum and tell her that we are staying here"

"I'm going to talk to Harry" Ginny announces and then she walked up the stairs. She looks in the room that he and Ron shared in his 5th year, but he's not there. She searches the house until it dawns on her.

She walks to Sirius' room and sees the door wide open. Harry's sitting on the bed staring at a piece of parchment. "Harry?"

Harry looks up and forces a smile "Hey, Gin" She walks over to him and sits next to him. "Are you staying?" Ginny looks at his face and knows that he has been crying.

"We all are" Ginny smiled "What's that?" She asked pointing o the piece of parchment

"It's a letter my mum wrote to Sirius when I was a baby" Ginny noticed the sorrow in his voice and placed a hand on his.

"We're here for you Harry" Then, before she knew it, Harry was sobbing on her shoulder. She felt so bad for him so she just hugged him tightly.

"I miss them so much!"

"Shh, Harry, it's okay." She consoles

"It's my fault they're all dead. If I hadn't of been born, they would all be fine"

"Harry, everything happens for a reason"

"I know, but why'd they have to die?"

"Harry, I have no idea how you're feeling, but I know that it killed me when Fred died and I have 5 other brothers" Ginny sighed "I know it hurt when Sirius died, I know it hurt when Dumbledore died, I know it hurt when Remus died. And I'm sorry. But, Harry, they would want you to be happy. You've gone through so much; they would want you to be okay"

Harry's sobs subsided but tears were still streaming down his face. "Thanks, Gin" He wipes his tears away "I love you so much"

She places a hand on his cheek "I love you too" She leaned up and their lips met. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer. They only pulled away when they heard a scream coming from downstairs. They sprang apart and Ginny was the first one out the door. "That's Hermione!"

Harry and Ginny trampled down the stairs and they heard another scream, but this time it had words. "I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"

Ginny entered the room a full 5 seconds before Harry. Her eyes wide as she saw who it was. She pointed her wand at the visitors and looked at Harry as he ran in.

"What's-" Harry's emerald orbs went wide and he pointed his wand at the man closet to him. "Who are you?"


End file.
